The Alpha's Luna, A Destiny Divided

Chapter 26

Callum's POV

"Luna!" My anguished cry echoed through the clearing as I watched her cross the barrier she'd created. Every instinct screamed at me to chase after her, to fight, to tear apart anyone who dared take her from me.

But I couldn't move. The silver light of Luna's power held me in place, an unbreakable wall between us.

Marcus's triumphant laughter cut through my shock. "A wise decision, Luna," he purred. "I knew you'd see reason eventually."

I snarled, my wolf clawing to the surface. "If you hurt her-"

"Hurt her?" Marcus's eyes gleamed with a madness that chilled me to the bone. "My dear Callum, I'm going to save her. Save all of us. You'll see."

As the barrier faded, I lunged forward, but Rafe and several other pack members held me back.

"Alpha, don't!" Rafe's voice was urgent in my ear. "We're outnumbered. If you attack now, we'll all die."

I knew he was right, but the pain of watching Luna being led away was almost unbearable. Our eyes met one last time, and the anguish I saw there nearly broke me.

"I love you," she mouthed silently, before turning away.

As Marcus's group retreated into the forest, taking my mate, my Luna, with them, I felt something inside me shatter.

The clearing erupted into chaos. Pack members shouting, demanding explanations, some calling for immediate pursuit. But I barely heard them.

My mind raced, cycling through disbelief, rage, and a grief so profound it threatened to consume me. But beneath it all, a cold determination began to form.

I would get her back. No matter the cost.

"Alpha?" Rafe's voice broke through my thoughts. "What do we do now?"

I turned to face my pack, seeing the fear and uncertainty in their eyes. They needed a leader now more than ever.

"We regroup," I said, my voice hard with resolve. "We plan. And then we get Luna back."

As the pack dispersed to carry out my orders, Mira approached, her face lined with worry.

"Alpha," she said softly. "There's something you need to know. About Luna's condition... and the baby."

My heart clenched. In the chaos, I'd almost forgotten about Luna's pregnancy. Our child, now in Marcus's hands along with its mother.

"Tell me everything," I demanded.

As Mira explained her concerns about the interaction between the ritual's power and Luna's pregnancy, a plan began to form in my mind. A desperate, dangerous plan that could cost me everything.

But for Luna, for our child, for our pack... I would risk it all.

Luna's POV

The forest blurred around me as we moved swiftly away from the Silver Creek pack. Away from Callum. Every step felt like a physical pain, the mate bond stretching thin between us.

*"You've done well,"* the voice in my head whispered. *"The first step on our true path."*

"Shut up," I muttered, earning a curious look from Thorne, who walked beside me.

Marcus, leading the group, glanced back with a knowing smirk. "Ah, is our guest of honor talking to herself? Or perhaps... to something else?"

I glared at him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response. But inside, doubt gnawed at me. Had I made the right choice? Or had I just walked willingly into a trap?

As we traveled, I became aware of subtle changes in my body. The power that had been chaotic, hard to control, now seemed to flow more smoothly. I could feel it intertwining with the tiny spark of life inside me, growing stronger by the hour.

It terrified me.

What was happening to me? To our baby? And what did Marcus really want?

After what felt like hours of travel, we arrived at a hidden compound. As we passed through heavy gates, I saw wolves of all ages watching us curiously. Some wore the insignia of the Northern Alliance, others I didn't recognize.

"Welcome to your new home, Luna," Marcus said, gesturing grandly. "Here, we'll unlock the true potential of the ritual's power. Together."

I squared my shoulders, meeting his gaze defiantly. "I'm not here to help you, Marcus. I'm here to protect my pack. Nothing more."

His smile didn't waver. "Oh, my dear. You're here because deep down, you know this is where you belong. Where you've always belonged."

As he led me deeper into the compound, towards a building that hummed with an energy I could feel in my bones, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was walking into the wolf's den.

But I had made my choice. For Callum, for our pack, for our unborn child... I would endure whatever came next.

*"No,"* the voice whispered, a note of anticipation in its tone. *"Not endure. Conquer. This is but the beginning of our ascension."*

As the doors closed behind me, sealing me into this new, uncertain future, I made a silent vow.

I would find a way to control this power, to protect those I loved. And somehow, someway, I would find my way back to Callum.

No matter what it took.